Toyota will launch a third brand in the United States that will be targeted toward young drivers and sold primarily over the Internet, according to reports.
The sales strategy for the as-yet-unnamed car will be based on Toyota's Prius hybrid vehicle, Jim Press, chief operating officer of Toyota's U.S. sales unit, told Reuters.
Customers order the Prius through Toyota's Web site and pick the car up at the dealership. The Prius went on sale in summer 2000, and sales have exceeded expectations.
The company will not create a separate dealership for the new vehicle, as it did with Lexus, but will fashion separate retail areas at its existing dealerships, Press said.
Toyota plans to release more details about the new car over the next six months.
